


The Long Twilight

by Mareel



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, Angst, Episode Related, Episode: s03e08 Twilight, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:19:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mareel/pseuds/Mareel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>That which remains.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Long Twilight

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the Season 3 "Twilight" canon AU, where ten years have passed since the Xindi attack on Earth. Prior to the Xindi destruction of Earth, Jonathan suffered a brain injury that prevents him from retaining short term memories for more than a day. He and Malcolm have a relationship established prior to the injury. It is Jonathan's voice.

 

What if the world ended, but there were survivors? Earth is gone. I’ve seen the planetary annihilation for myself, just this morning. Just as I saw it yesterday morning, and every previous morning for the past ten years, so I am told. I recall none of those experiences. Only today. Today’s horror, today’s devastation. Today’s failure. 

This small colony on Ceti Alpha Five holds nearly every remaining human being, along with a few others who chose to share this final exile. No one knows how long the safety here will last. I’m told that _Enterprise_ and the Xindi still play at cat and mouse. 

There are few other starships remaining. The cargo ships that ferried survivors have been repurposed to create this village. Most of the people here are refugees from far-flung colonies – the Xindi want to obliterate the entire Human genome. 

I can’t help but wonder how these people view their lives. Do they see a future? Do they blame me, blame _Enterprise_ for our failure to protect Earth from destruction? I’m told I’ve met most of them – but have no memory of anyone I didn’t know before my injury. 

I still don’t know why T’Pol chooses to live here as my caregiver, nor do I know what she expects from me. It must be a hard and lonely life, living with a man who wakes up with no recent memory… and nothing to offer but an ephemeral friendship.

My long-term memory is intact. On the last day I remember, I woke up with Malcolm in my arms. We didn’t always get to spend our nights together – the Expanse was a difficult place. So many of my nights were sleepless, studying the fragments of a recovered Xindi database, searching for some missing clue to finding their weapon before it was too late. Other nights I couldn’t sleep even with Malcolm’s body pressed against mine. I vividly remember every time I was cruel to him, snapping at him in my frustration and impatience – no one escaped that treatment, I’m afraid. Except Porthos, I hope… 

But Malcolm never abandoned me. He would speak up when my words cut too deeply, and I’d apologize and promise… I don’t know what promise I could have kept… except to love him, no matter what. And he made me certain that he believed that of me. 

I try today, as I probably try every day, not to feel abandoned now. Cast off and useless, even as a figurehead on _Enterprise_. T’Pol tells me my presence became too distracting for everyone… or was her word ‘disruptive’? And I know Malcolm is needed there; more than ever, his tactical skill is essential to the survival of everyone here. The part of me that is, or was, the Captain knows this. 

But _Jonathan_ doesn’t know how to stop the lonely aching for what we had together and the future that could have been ours. I step onto the deck of this small house, letting the alien sun warm me a little. I wonder for a moment at what is missing in the silence – then I realize that I hear no children’s voices. Has no one risked the hope that is a child? It’s hard to blame them. I don’t know that I’d bring a child into this world either, but a colony without children has no future. I chew my lip, unsure if I should ask T’Pol about it… but maybe it’s a question I ask every day. 

I must be getting old, not to hear the steps behind me. Familiar arms slipping around my waist refocus everything. I turn and pull him against me, burying my face on his shoulder, trying to contain the emotions threatening to break free.

“Malcolm… “

He strokes my hair and then rests his hand against my damp cheek for long silent moments before kissing me, whispering, “It’s our day together, love.”

We survive the world’s ending, together. One day at a time.

 


End file.
